A place for my thoughts

Brandi Easterling Collins, independent author

  • Home
  • Welcome: About me
  • Bookstore
  • Newsletter/Contact Me
  • Luminesce Publishing
  • Home
  • Welcome: About me
  • Bookstore
  • Newsletter/Contact Me
  • Luminesce Publishing

Archives

  • April 2025
  • February 2025
  • December 2024
  • October 2024
  • September 2024
  • June 2024
  • March 2024
  • February 2024
  • January 2024
  • December 2023
  • November 2023
  • October 2023
  • September 2023
  • July 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • September 2022
  • July 2022
  • April 2022
  • January 2022
  • November 2021
  • September 2021
  • July 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • January 2021
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • August 2019
  • June 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
General Thoughts, Novels (my writing updates)

New year, new look, exciting news!

It’s a new year, so I thought my blog deserved a new look. I’d had the same theme, the default 2016 WordPress theme, since I launched this website in July…

read more
January 13, 2018
General Thoughts

Television Nostalgia and Other Things

Recently, a major television star from when I was a child had a stroke. Last Monday he died from the complications. Luke Perry, who played Dylan on Beverly Hills, 90210,…

read more
March 12, 2019
Essays, General Thoughts

I’ve been old (but not necessarily wise) my whole life

I’ve been thinking a lot about aging lately. I just turned 43, and that plants me firmly in middle agedom. But in reality, I think I’ve been old my whole…

read more
June 18, 2024
  • Man looking at goals checklist
    Essays,  General Thoughts

    Can High Goals Get in the Way of Contentment?

    April 18, 2025 /

    Having hopes and dreams for ourselves is healthy. But at what point can high goals get in the way of happiness? Dreams vs. goals It’s natural for humans to have dreams. They start when we’re little kids, dreaming of being a ballerina, a pro athlete, or just like Mom or Dad. It’s good to have dreams because they’re one of the things that set us apart as a species. Later in my childhood and early teen years, I dreamed of someday being a writer—an author of published novels. Goals are a bit different and less easily forgotten. As a child, I wanted to be all sorts of different things, but…

    read more
    0 Comments

    You May Also Like

    Overweight in a Size 8: Thoughts on Obesity and Body Image

    February 25, 2023
    Illustration of family photos on a wall

    Weddings and Funerals: Changing Relationships with Family and Friends

    October 27, 2024

    A scary topic: suicide

    April 11, 2017
  • Illustrated race track scene with children driving cars at a starting line
    Essays,  General Thoughts

    How Many Times Can You Start Over?

    February 16, 2025 /

    Several times in my life, I’ve had to hit the reset button and start from scratch. It can get exhausting, but it’s also a chance to change or improve the outcome by making different choices. Starting over can be difficult On January 18, 2024, I started over on a better health journey. I had planned my “start over” to coincide with the first of the year, but life and some health issues got in the way. So, that Saturday morning, I stepped on the scale. And I cried. I didn’t like the number staring back at me and knew I had to change my habits to be healthier. Since that…

    read more
    2 Comments

    You May Also Like

    Dreams and things

    October 29, 2017

    Bah! Humbug: What’s Christmas all about?

    December 17, 2016

    How I became a novelist in twelve (easy) steps

    April 7, 2019
  • General Thoughts,  Pop Culture

    2024 in Book Reviews

    December 31, 2024 /

    I read 75 books in 2024 and wrote half of my sixth novel, which is tentatively titled Four Hearts. While I originally planned to set a goal of 100 books, I changed my goal to 75 books early in the year due to unforeseen circumstances. Here are my top reads for the year. Top 10 best reads for 2024 (traditionally published) These are in order, starting with my favorite read of the year. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr This Used to Be Us by Renée Carlino This Impossible Brightness by Jessica Bryant Klagmann Spirit Crossing (Cork O’Connor, #20) by William Kent Krueger Camino Ghosts (Camino Island,…

    read more
    0 Comments

    You May Also Like

    September 11, 2001

    September 11, 2016

    What does depression (and anxiety) look like?

    August 6, 2017
    Illustration of older lady waving.

    I’ve been old (but not necessarily wise) my whole life

    June 18, 2024
 Older Posts

Categories

Tags

Anxiety Artwork Assignment Book Review Books Caroline's Lighthouse Childhood Children Covid-19 Dad Dark and Twisty Death Depression Dream Family Fear God Got an "A" Healing Heartache High School History Hurt Indie Authors Indie Publishing Inspiration Jordan's Sister kids Loss Love Mom Music New Novel Novels Pain Published Reading Sadness Sex Stars Suicide Truth Writing writing update

Recent Posts

  • Can High Goals Get in the Way of Contentment?
  • How Many Times Can You Start Over?
  • 2024 in Book Reviews
  • Weddings and Funerals: Changing Relationships with Family and Friends
  • When Unexpected Blessings Come in the Form of Two Puppies

Sharing

Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmail
All material ©1994-2025 by Brandi Easterling Collins.
Ashe Theme by WP Royal.